Coal or the like transfer apparatus



Sept. 1, 1925.

C. HURLEY COAL OR THE LIKE TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed March 17 4 INVENTOR. [G'- nector.

Patented Sept. 1, 1925.

UNITED STATES CORNELIUS HURLEY, OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

COAL on THE LIKE TRANSFER-APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, CORNELIUS HURLEY a citizen of the United States, residing at Berkeley, in the county of Alameda and State'of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coal or the like Transfer Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates in general to material handling or transfer apparatus, and has particular reference to an apparatus of this character which is especially adaptable for use in transferring coal from gondola railway cars to storage piles in a coal yard.

The salient features of the invention will be described in connection with the handling or transfer of coal, but it is to be understood that the example thus selected is to be taken only as an illustration and not as a limitation of the application of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a plan of that part of my apparatus which I will identify as a skid; and Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same along a con Fig. 3 is a plan showing, on a reduced scale, the application of the invention associated with a gondola railway car; and

Fig. 4 is a view in elevation of the apparatus in operation and the pile produced b it.

Referring now to the drawing in detail: My invention includes a skid represented by the letter A comprising a pair of box-like sections 1 and 2"with a side removed from each. These sections are connected together in confronting relation, preferably by flexible connectors such as links or chains 3. One of the sections, namely 2, is made practically of metal sheeting excepting the side wall 4, which is wood and bolted or otherwise secured to the metal by metal strap knees 5 and end bolts at 9. The end walls 17 of this section are preferably flanged along the top edges for additional strength. Also the side edges 18 of these walls, as well as the adjacent edges of the other section are beveled a little for free movement in operation.

The sheet metal bottom of the section 2 is struck up at intervals to provide grooved or channel portions 6, in which the connectors are housed. Also the ends of the connectors are anchored by bolts or pins 7 at or near the longitudinal center line of the Application filed March 17, 1925. Serial No. 16,152.

said section for efficient tilting purposes as will be presently set forth. The opposite ends of the connectors are anchored to the bottom of section 1 by bolts, pins or the like 8. i

The section 1 of the skid is preferably made from wood including thebottom because of cheaper construction, but in some cases a metal section similar to section 2 'may be preferred. As a wearing surface and reinforcement for the wood, I suggest the use of metal runners or the like 10.

Suitably connected to the side walls of the sections 1 and 2 are cables 11 and 12. The heavy cable 12 is used as a load puller, and the lighter cable or rope 11 is used to manually guide the" loaded skid to the dump pile and to return the empty skid to loading location thereafter. The cable 12 is used in connection with some suitable winding mechanism, such as a winding drum or a motor truck, or any other mechanism suitable for the purpose.

In most cases of transferring the material to piles, I suggest the use of a pole or other standard 13, having a pivotal knee assembly 14 at its top including a pulley 15 around which the cable 12 passes. This enables me to pull the skid up a coal pile 16 and dumpthe load over the peak of the pile as best shown inFig. 4. i

The peculiar means of connecting the sections 1 and 2 of the skid together, should be taken into account in the operation of the apparatus and which operation is as follows: Supposing coal loaded in a gondola car C on a track siding D, is to be transferred to a pile such as 16. The skid is pulled by the cable 11 to position under the desired chute-s in the bottom or side of the car, and when filled the skid is pulled by the power cable 12, guided by direction pulls on the cable 11, toward the pile 16 and up the side thereof until it has been elevated or suspended as shown in Fig. 4. As th skid is lifted off the pile, section 2 opens and tilts and leaves the said section free to turn almost upside down due to the flexible connectors 3 and the location of their pivotal connections; thus depositing the load upon the pile where desired. As the connection tion of the section permits section 1 to empty its contents also. By pulling on the cable 11 the skid as above stated may be returned to the gondola car, and this operation automatically returns the sections into confronting relation again so that the skid-provides the box-like structure to receive its next load.

This apparatus is a time and labor saving method as compared to the old way of unloading the cars by wheel barrows, trucks, or the like. My method of transference practically eliminates all manual shoveling.

While I have illustrated the invention in connection with the handling of coal, I am fully aware that its usefulness can be applied to other requirements where material is to be transferred from one location to another. In this connection I might mention excavating, road building and the like.

What I claim as new and desire to secure patent protection thereon in the United States is the following 1. In an apparatus of the class described, a skid comprising a pair of sections, means for pulling the skid in one direction and means for returning the skid in an opposite direction, said skid having a flexible connection between the said sections, and the first-named means for pulling the skid adapted to elevate thev same to hang the sections in dumping position.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, a skid comprising a bipartite box-like structure,'each part having an open side and which sides'confront each other, said confronting'parts connected to each other by flexible-connectors, onepart having the conv ing a pair of sections,*each section being open at one side, means connecting the sections together with their open sides in con fronting relation, said connecting means comprising flexible connectors, the ends of said connectors being attached to the'sections substantially in the middle of the same.

4:, A skid of the class described, comprising a pair of skid sections, each section having' an open side, one of the sections having a sheet 'metal bottom and the other sectiona wooden bottom, flexible connectors for connecting the sections together with their open sides in confronting relation, one endof the flexible connectors:beingsecured to the upper side of the wooden bottom of one section, and the opposite ends of the connectors being received by groovesin the sheet metal bottom of the other section, said grooves being struck up from'the metal of said bottom and means for anchoring the ends of said'connectors in said grooves.

5. A skid as set forth in claim 4, and in which the wooden section of the skid iscon-- nected by a pulling and hoisting cable substantially as andgfor the purpose describedv In testimony whereof I afiix my signature CORNELIUS HURLEY. 

